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You can keep your tinsel, your Jingle Bells and your eggnog. For me, the holidays are all about the cookies.

And sure, I enjoy nibbling on a buttery shortbread or sablé. But what I really love is the whole joyful ritual of baking.

I love everything from planning which cookies to make this year ­— and I can spend weeks poring over recipes trying to decide between sugar cookies and ginger snaps ­— to wrapping them up to give as gifts.

I love watching butter and sugar transform into something magical. I love inhaling the warm fragrance of vanilla and nutmeg as it wafts through the house. And I love the way people light up when they take their first sweet, comforting taste of a vanilla crescent or Linzer cookie.

Cookies just taste like joy, don’t they?

This year, we asked some of Vancouver’s best bakers — Thomas Haas, Greg Hook of Chocolate Arts, Emmanuel Joinville of Jules Bistro, Ricardo Rosas of Faubourg, and Jennifer Peters of NextJen Gluten Free ­— to share with us their recipes for the kinds of cookies they’d make at home for their own families.

What they came up with is a collection of simple and elegant treats that will appeal to everyone in your home. There’s even a savoury cookie for those who don’t like sweets, and a gluten free one for those who can’t enjoy flour.

Santa, we’re sure, will be thrilled. If, that is, there are any cookies left for him by the time he slips down the chimney on Dec. 25.

Chocolate Shortbread

Buttery and chocolatey, these luscious shortbreads by Greg Hook of Chocolate Arts (chocolatearts.com) will melt in your mouth.

1/2 cup, plus 2 tbsp (155 mL) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 (60 mL) cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp (90 mL) sugar

1 vanilla bean, seeds only

Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet

Cut butter into cubes and set aside. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla seeds in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low to combine. With mixer still set to low, incorporate the butter until the mixture just starts to come together.

Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured surface and, using your hands, knead it gently to form a homogeneous dough. Roll out dough to about ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thickness and cut into desired shapes (Hook prefers domino-shaped rectangles) using a knife or cookie cutter.

Place cookies onto lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes about 15 cookies.

Parmesan Sablés

Those guests who prefer savoury to sweet will love these rich, buttery cookies by Greg Hook of Chocolate Arts (chocolatearts.com).

1 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone sheet.

Cut butter into cubes and set aside. Combine the flour and Parmesan cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low to combine. With mixer still set to low, incorporate the butter until the mixture just starts to come together.

Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured surface and, using your hands, knead it gently to form a homogeneous dough. Roll out your dough to about ½-inch (1 cm) thickness and cut into 1- by ½-inch (2 by 1 cm) batons. Place cookies onto lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Makes 15 batons.

Snowman Cookie

Mixing childish whimsy with all-grown-up sophistication, these gorgeously decorated cookies by Ricardo Rosas, head pastry chef at Faubourg (faubourg.com), are sure to impress. Note that the measurements below are in imperial volume and, as is typical of professional bakers, metric weight ­— it’s worth investing in a digital scale if you plan to do a lot of baking. Also note that fondant is available at some craft stores and specialty food shops such as Gourmet Warehouse.

Sable Breton:

2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. (10 g) baking powder

½ tsp. (3 g) salt

1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter

1 cup, plus 1 tbsp (225 g) granulated sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, just seeds

6 large egg yolks (110 g)

Meringue:

½ cup (100 g) sugar

¾ cup (100 g) icing sugar

4 large, fresh egg whites (120 g)

1 tsp. (5 g) white vinegar

1 ½ tsp. (5 g) cornstarch

Chocolate royal icing:

1 ½ cup (200 g) icing sugar

¼ cup (30 g) cocoa powder

1 large egg white (30 g)

Decoration:

Orange fondant (or marzipan)

Black fondant

¼ cup (60 g) melted dark chocolate

Make the sablé reton: Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla bean seeds in a mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add egg yolks one at a time until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.

Wrap dough in cling wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C).

Roll out dough to ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick and cut out circles. Bake for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Make the meringue discs: Preheat oven to 265 F (130 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine sugars and set aside. In the immaculately clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites to a soft peak. Gradually stream in sugar on medium speed, taking care not to get it all over the place. Turn to high speed and whip until glossy and stiff peaks form. This will take 6 to 8 minutes.

Gently fold in vinegar followed by cornstarch. These additions help ensure a better meringue in texture and look. Pipe flat circles onto parchment paper. To remove those unwanted centre peaks, just dip a finger in cold water and gently smooth them out.

Bake 45 minutes or until meringues slide easily off the parchment without breaking. A good meringue should also stay white. Allow to cool completely.

Make the chocolate royal icing: Combine ingredients until smooth.

Decorate the cookies: Spread chocolate royal icing over each cookie with a baker’s offset metal spatula. Top with a meringue disc.

Make a carrot nose out of marzipan dyed with a little orange food colouring or out of fondant. (“I prefer marzipan as it is much more tasty to eat!” says Rosas.) Fix it with a dot or melted chocolate. Pipe on eyes and mouth from melted dark chocolate. Add a scarf made out of black-coloured fondant.

Makes 24 cookies.

Vanilla Kipferl Cookies

These classic Viennese cookies are a favourite of patissiere and chocolatier Thomas Haas (thomashaas.com). Their crescent shape evokes the centuries-long influence of the Ottoman Empire in Austria.

2/3 cup (150 mL) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup (75 mL) icing sugar, sifted

1 pinch salt

1 vanilla bean

1 cup (250 mL) bread flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) ground almonds

Vanilla sugar (see recipe below)

In a mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the butter, icing sugar and salt till smooth at medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently to prevent lumps.

Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape to remove the seeds. Reserve the pod for later use. Add vanilla seeds to the butter mixture and mix till thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour and ground almonds. Add the dry ingredients into the butter-mixture and mix on low speed till it forms a dough.

Scrape the dough onto a flat surface dusted lightly with flour, then form the dough into a long tube about 1 ¼ inches (2.5 cm) in diameter. Use a sharp knife, cut it into 24 even discs.

Take each disc and roll into a cigar-like tube about 3 ½ inches (7 cm) long and slightly tapered at the edges. Bend this into a crescent shape and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Once cookies feel firm to the touch, bake them for 9 to 12 minutes or until the tips of the crescent begin to brown. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes.

When the cookies are just cool enough to handle gently coat them in vanilla sugar and allow to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen

Vanilla Sugar

1 used vanilla pod (i.e. a vanilla bean that has been split and the seeds removed for another use)

4 cups (1 L) granulated sugar

Take the vanilla pod and dry in a 200 F (100 C) oven till brittle. This should take 1 to 2 hours.

Using a spice grinder, process the dried vanilla pod to a fine powder. If necessary, use a fine mesh strainer to remove any large bits.

Combine thoroughly with the sugar. (The amount of sugar can be increased or decreased depending on your preference.) Place in a well-sealed container and store in a cool dark place. Vanilla sugar will keep almost indefinitely.

Holiday Linzer Cookies

These classic Viennese cookies are a favourite of patissiere and chocolatier Thomas Haas (thomashaas.com).

1 cup (250 mL) soft unsalted butter

1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar, sifted

1 pinch salt

1 vanilla bean

2 1/3 cups (575 mL) all-purpose flour

1 pinch ground cloves

2/3 cup (150 mL) ground toasted hazelnuts

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

Purchased or homemade raspberry jam (see recipe below)

Tempered 70 per cent cacao dark chocolate (optional)

In a mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the butter, icing sugar and salt together at medium speed until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently to prevent lumps.

Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape to remove the seeds. Reserve the pod for later use. Add the beans to butter mixture and combine thoroughly.

Sift flour and ground clove together and combine with the ground hazelnuts. Add all the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix on low speed till crumbly.

Whisk the egg and yolk together and add into the crumbly mixture. Mix on low speed until it comes together into a dough.

Form the dough into a ball, then wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, allow the dough to come to room temperature or until it is soft enough to roll out with a rolling pin.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 F (160 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet.

On smooth surface dusted lightly with flour, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch (3 to 4 mm). Using a 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out as much of the dough as possible.

Place cookies on lined baking sheet and bake for 9 to12 minutes or until just starting to brown. Allow to cool on the tray.

Divide the cookies into two equal amounts. One set will be the bottom of the cookie and the other, the top. Using a piping bag with a small tip, pipe a couple of tablespoons’ worth of jam on the cookie bottoms. Take the top and sandwich the jam.

In a stand mixer, cream coconut fat on medium speed, then sugar, salt and vanilla and continue to mix until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one by one, then milk. Mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, sir together the NextJen gluten free flour and baking powder.

In the top of a double boiler, cook chocolate over simmering (not boiling) water until chocolate is melted, then mix in the cocoa until fully blended. Remove chocolate from heat and add a little to the egg mixture to temper it. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the rest of the chocolate. Reduce the speed of the mixer and add the flour and baking powder. No need to worry about over-mixing as there is no gluten in the flour. Chill in fridge for 11/2 to 2 hours.

This family recipe from Emmanuel Joinville, chef-owner of Jules Bistro, will be available at the restaurant throughout December — or you can make it at home.

7/8 cup (190 mL) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

½ cup (125 mL) icing sugar

Pinch of salt

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 ¾ cup (425 mL) flour

1 tsp. (5 mL) ground nutmeg

Ground nutmeg to sprinkle

Soften the butter in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the rest of the ingredients one at time, mixing well to make sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Be sure to add the ingredients in the following order: icing sugar then salt, followed by the egg white, flour and nutmeg.

Be careful not to work the dough too much or it will lose its tender shortbread texture. Gently shape the dough into a cylinder 1 inch (2 cm) in diameter. Wrap in plastic, then place in the refrigerator for at least one hour or until firm.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator and, using a sharp knife, slice it into 40 rounds. Place the cookies on the lined baking sheet, making sure to leave at least 1 inch (2 cm) of space around each.

Sprinkle ground nutmeg on top of the cookies and bake for 15 minutes, or just until starting to brown.

Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 40

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